FPL Gameweek 1 Preview – 2025/26 Season

The wait is almost over — FPL GW1 is almost here! With the deadline set for Friday 15 August at 18:30 BST, managers are running out of time to lock in their squads before the action kicks off. Whether you’re chasing a top 10k finish or just aiming to beat your mini-league rivals, here’s a quick guide to help you start strong.

Key Gameweek 1 Fixtures

Bournemouth travel to champions Liverpool in the Friday night opener. Saturday sees Aston Villa host a Newcastle team still reeling from their summer transfer woes in the lunchtime kick-off before Wolves face Manchester City in the evening kick off. Sunday’s headline clash is Manchester United against Arsenal, and Gameweek 1 concludes on Monday night as newly promoted Leeds welcome Everton.

Must-Have Players

Premium picks:

• Salah (Liverpool), £14.5m – The most popular captaincy option

• Palmer (Chelsea), £10.5m – Talismanic attacker who can deliver big

• Haaland (Man City), £14.0m – Proven FPL asset despite his injury woes last season

Mid-price gems:

• Bowen (West Ham), £8.0m – Great finish to last season and has a good GW1 fixture

• Gakpo (Liverpool), £7.5m – Has been outstanding during pre-season and offers value

• Mbeumo (Man Utd), £8.0m – Registered 29 attacking returns last season
  

Budget enablers:

• Wan-Bissaka (West Ham), £4.5 – Increasing attacking prowess and a bargain at his price

• Caicedo (Chelsea), £5.5m – He becomes viable with defensive contributions factored in

• Hudson-Odoi (Forest), £6.0m – Offers bang for buck if he can hit the ground running

Gameweek 1 Tips

• Target strong fixtures – Liverpool and Chelsea players should be prioritised early

• Avoid too many unproven signings – give them time to settle

• Balance your squad – flexibility in price points makes early transfers easier